Roaming Rogue

The old town of Dubrovnik itself is relatively small, so one of the days I was there I ended up going to Lokrum Island. It’s an uninhabited island just to the south of Dubrovnik in the Adriatic Sea. The earliest known settlers on the island were in the 11th century, which included monks who resided in a Benedictine monastery. According to legend, at some point they were asked to leave, to which they decided to cast a spell on the island by dripping wax from upside down candles around the perimeter of the island. I have MANY questions about this but that’s just me. 

Fast forward to the 1800s, when Dubrovnik was under Austrian rule. The Archduke built a mansion on the island, along with a large garden housing exotic plants and animals (including peacocks, which still reside on the island to this day). He was eventually killed in Mexico. (Yes, a lot of gaps in this story). All other future residents of the island were also killed in mysterious situations, which contributes to the legend of monks, though likely is just a coincidence. However, to this day, nobody can live there. 

To get there, you must take one of the “official” ferries that can dock on the island. They leave every thirty minutes to and from the island, with the last ferry departing the island at 7pm. They do not allow anyone to stay overnight, so leave yourself time to get back to the dock. The ticket is around 27 Euros, which gets you a round trip ferry ride and entrance to the island itself. 

There is a decent amount to do once you arrive on the island. To me, one of the main attractions of visiting the island were the “beaches” (I use this loosely, because in Dubrovnik, “beach” tends to mean rocks that you can lay on near the water) and the gardens. It gives you a bit of nature after a day or two in the city which is nice. There are many beaches across the island, so take your pick. I found that some were busier than others, particularly those near the Dead Sea (yes, they have their own Dead Sea on this island). 

Many others visit for the monastery, but I found it underwhelming and in need of some renovations. Much of it was closed up as well, so after a brief five minute walk through, it was over. I wouldn’t go to the island if the sole purpose of your visit is to see the monastery, but that’s just me. 

One of the things I liked most about the island is that since nobody lives there, it literally is just there for tourism, but not in a cheap trinket way. Everyone was in good spirits. They have beach chairs, umbrellas, and picnic tables available so you can lounge as needed. There are also several cafes and bars to visit for food and drinks. I decided to get lunch there and ordered a cuttlefish pasta. It was very tasty, but if you ever have it, make sure you have a toothbrush and floss available or you will look like you just ate a package of Oreos. 

Of most importance though is the peacocks! They were everywhere, and very tame, so they came right up to you. Many of the females also had chicks, which followed them around. It was very cute. 

After getting some sun, I headed back to Dubrovnik and got dinner. I had to get an early dinner reservation to get into a place I had been wanting to try, but it was well worth it!